Where Are You Now
by otakuandproud123
Summary: Holy Rome isn't dead and Italy knows it. After all, he made a promise to him.
1. Chapter 1

**Chibitalia**

Whenever Holy Rome had to go anywhere, he always promised that we would meet again, someday. No matter what, he said, he would always love me, and that would never change. He had become much more comfortable with saying it since he had confessed that he had loved me since the 900s.

Whenever Holy Rome had to go away from the house for a long while, he always promised that he would send me a letter, delivered by carrier pigeon. No matter what, this made me sit myself down by a window sill, looking out of the window and watching for the small bird that would give me Holy Rome's letter. Even when Mr. Austria caught me slacking off from my job of cleaning the house and yelled at me, I waited anyway. Sometimes Austria would play the piano, and I would fall asleep by just listening to it.

Today was no different. As I watched out the window, a bird came flying down, coming to a gentle stop when it reached the windowsill. It stuck out its leg. Looking down, I noticed that there was a rolled-up piece of paper tied onto it.

After removing the letter, I unrolled it.

_Italy_

_I'm sorry, but I can't come home tomorrow. This war is just too drastic to abandon. Again, I'm really sorry. But please don't forget, no matter how long I'm away from the house, I always love you._

_Holy Rome_

I smiled, tears just glazing over my eyes. Holy Rome wouldn't be able to come home tomorrow, but he would probably be able to come home the next day... right?

OoOoOoO

**Holy Roman Empire**

"Holy Roman Empire, please stay still! I can't treat to your injuries properly!" France ordered as I squirmed underneath his hands. Scars covered my body from days of fighting to protect my people, and they pained me deeply, even when a single breath of air brushed against them feel as if needles were slowly being driven into my back.

"I can't help it! It just hurts, okay?" I shouted, throwing my head back. France huffed.

"Well, maybe it would hurt less if you _just! Stayed! Still!_" he breathed out, managing to tie a bandage around my chest. The tent flap opened, and a soldier peeked in.

"Are you almost done? We need Holy Rome out here, pronto!" he said, looking back to the battlefield. France furrowed his eyebrows.

"Is it really that bad?" France asked worriedly. The soldier nodded.

"Indeed it is. Hurry up!" he said, letting the tent flap fall back into place as he let go of it and ran back to help the troops.

"Oh, _mon dieu_," France sighed. He stood up and walked to the corner of the tent, where my spare shirt was folded up. I managed to pick myself up and limp over to France, who tugged the shirt over my head. Taking a deep breath, I faced the tent flap and walked out onto the battlefield, all the while feeling that I had forgotten something very important.

But I couldn't have... right?


	2. Chapter 2

I folded my hands as I looked out that same window, waiting for the bird to arrive. Holy Rome had not messaged me for a few days, and I was beginning to get anxious. Footsteps echoed around the hallway. At first, I was scared that it might have been Mr. Austria, come to punish me again for slacking off, but my suspicions had been confirmed as wrong when a soft, warm hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Ms. Hungary, who looked distressed.

"Italy... please listen to me at this moment," she whispered. I noticed that her voice was on the verge of cracking.

"Ms. Hungary?" I prompted, urging for her to go on. She took her hand off my shoulder and cradled her other hand with it.

OoOoOoO

"Holy Rome... isn't here anymore, is he," I questioned quietly, seeking confirmation on what the woman standing before me had just told me. Ms. Hungary, in tears, hugged me. Being the strong woman she was, she didn't sob out loud; yet, I could still feel her body trembling against mine.

"N..." was all that came back. An image of Holy Rome waving goodbye came back into my head, as if someone had painted an incredibly detailed picture of him onto my eyelids. It felt as if that image was imprinted into my brain.

A few minutes later, Ms. Hungary had pulled herself together and walked away, leaving me to my business. I had been standing there, appearing emotionless, but wide-eyed, when really on the inside, the very fiber of my being felt like it was being torn apart. Placing my head in my hands, I stared out the window, telling myself that Ms. Hungary was mistaken.

The last time Holy Rome had visited, his body was covered in scars from various wars. Afraid that he would forget about me, I ran through the door and hugged him, begging him to bring back his pleas of becoming one with me. I could feel Holy Rome smiling into my hair as he softly whispered that he promised he would come back.

That's why he couldn't be dead. He had a promise to keep! No matter what, Holy Rome had sworn that he would come back, and we would be together forever.

OoOoOoO

"Italy!" Mr. Austria shouted as he marched into the hall. "Why haven't you been working? Look how dirty my sleeves are! LOOK AT THEM!" he practically bellowed, holding out his wrists. Indeed, I could see that his sleeves were sopping wet. I guessed that in my leave of work, he and Ms. Hungary had taken up my duty of washing the dishes, just like they did when Holy Rome left the house for the first time.

By then, I had only been a few hundred years old, so the concept of war frightened me a little, and I couldn't understand why Holy Rome would have to go do such a thing. In tears, I went to Austria, softly shivering as I apologized for skipping out on work. Strangely enough, that day, Mr. Austria seemed sympathetic; he told me that I could take the day off. The day after that, Ms. Hungary had told me that together, they both washed the dishes. My mind began to wander when Ms. Hungary began swooning over the small pout that had been present on Mr. Austria's face.

"Italy! Answer me right now!" Mr. Austria snapped. I blinked as I faded back into the present.

"I'm waiting for Holy Rome's letter..." I mumbled as I went to stare back through the window.

"...so that's why," he muttered. I could hear his palm slapping against his forehead.

"Why? What's wrong with waiting?" I asked.

"Nothing, but do you have to be like this forever? I don't believe it either, but lack of belief doesn't change reality! Holy Rome is, dare I say it, _dead_, and there's nothing we can do to change that, so we should just get on with our lives already!" Austria explained, ignoring the look of shock that had passed over my face.

"But.. he made a promise that he would come back, and we would be together, so surely, he is alive," I said dreamily, until Austria smacked me across the face.

"Moron! Act properly! The Holy Roman Empire isn't here anymore! Look at the reality and stop running away from it!"

I rubbed the red spot on my cheek. Mr. Austria had not hit me hard, but it still stung...

"He lived elegantly to avoid his own fate! Why don't you understand?" he shouted. He calmed down a little, and said quietly; "Even if you don't understand, what would you do? Even if that _child's _death had not occurred, there still wouldn't have been anything to do. Nothing, but live and carry on whatever part of Holy Rome's soul remains in our hearts."

I remained in silence as Mr. Austria walked away in a huff. After several minutes of reflection on what I had just been told, I picked myself up and walked towards the supply closet, finally regaining my grasp on the strings of reality.

OoOoOoO

Time passed. Austria had released me from being his servant. My hope had returned, but World War 1 had started.

"Who are you? Come out and show yourself!"

"No! No, I swear, I'm a tomato fairy! Please don't shoot me!"

The lid of the crate burst open as I pushed through it, waving my arms around in a fit of fear. My assailant's eyes widened, and I found myself staring into clear, sapphire eyes.

And with that, I found that Holy Rome's soul had returned.


End file.
